Coin-selecting mechanism.



H. A. BULLARD. COIN SELECTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

H. A. BULLARD. COIN SELECTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APB.25, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT A. IBULLARD, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

COIN-SELECTING- MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT A. BULLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-SelectingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to a simple, eifective, anddurable device for selecting or segregating acceptable coins or tokensfrom spurious or badly worn coins or tokens, the apparatus beingdesigned for use in connection with coin actuated mechanism generally,such as telephone-boxes, vending machines, and all types of mechanismplaced into operatlon by the deposit of a given coin or token within areceptacle designed for the receiving of the same in payment for thatwhich is supplied to the purchaser; the invention relating moreparticularly to an improvement on that form of a coin selector fully setforth and described in United States Letters Patent No. 964,848, grantedunto me on the 19th day of July, 1910, for coin controlled mechanism,the object of the present invention being to dispense with theelectrically operated features disclosed in said Letters Patent andrequired therein for operating the coin selecting or segregatingmechanism thereof, and by so doing making the operation of the partspurely mechanical, more positive, and likewise less complicated thanwhere electro-mechanical means are employed.

To comprehend the invention, reference should be had to the accompanyingsheets of drawings, wherein; f

Figure l-is a view in side elevation disclosing the working parts innormal position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the improvedcoin selector with its working parts in normal position. Fig. 3 is asectional plan view taken on line Fig. 1 of the drawings. Fig. i is asimilar view of the calipering features of the selector and the stoppawls or arms actuated thereby, said view illustrating a non-acceptablecoin or token deposited within the apparatus, grasped or clamped betweenthe caliper-.

mg members, which are in closed position and locked against full inwardmovement, the said coin or token being positioned for discharge into thechute or runway for receiving the non-acceptacle coins or tokensSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1911.

Patented J an. 14, 1913. Serial No. 623,135.

' and ejecting the same. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the said mechanismillustrating an acceptable coin or token as grasped between thecalipering members and said members moved inwardly their full distancefor positioning the coin immediately over the runway orchute forconveying the same within the coin receptacle on a release of thecalipering members. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the inner caliperingmember. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the said member. Fig. 8 is anenlarged detail broken view of the calipering members with a coingrasped between the same.

The improved coin selector is designed for use in connection with coinsof any denomination, although preferably for those of small size andvalue, the obverse and reverse sides of which usually difier to such anextent as to distinguish the same from what are known as slugs which aregenerally smooth on both faces, or when stamped present the same degreeof depression or upraise on both faces thereof, which condition in themain serves to distinguish a slug from a coin.

It will be understood that the calipering members of the apparatus arespecially designed to successfully operate in conjunction with a coin ofgiven value and diameter for the acceptance thereof, and the rejectionof such coins or tokens as do not conform thereto, a mutilated orexcessively worn coin of the acceptable value'being treated as aspurious or non-acceptable coin and rejected by the selector in the samemanner as a slug.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a coin receiving boxor casing of any desired type capable of sustaining the workingmechanism of the selector, and which is primarily intended for directattachment to the coin actuated machine for use in connection with whichthe present invention is designed. The said casing constitutes a housingfor the hereinafter described calipering means, and the same is providedwith a receiving slot 2 for the deposit therein of a coin or token, anda discharge opening 3 through which the rejected coin or token'iseject-ed to the outside, and a discharge opening 4 through which theacceptable coin or token is delivered into a suitable runway leading tothe interior of the casing for the retention of the said coin or token.These discharge openings are formed in the lower portion of ahorizontally disposed guide-way 5 formed within the casing, with theinterior of which guideway the coin or receiving runway 5 communicates.Within the said guide-way 5, works a pair of spaced or separatedlongitudinally movable calipering members, the outer one of whichcomprises a plurality of concentric plungers 6, 7 and 8, and the innerone a plurality of similar plungers 6, 7 and 8, the plunger 6 of theouter calipering member terminating in a cylindrical extension thumbpiece 9, and the outer plunger 6 of the inner calipering memberterminating in a cylindrical guide or trunk extension 10, the parts 9and 10 being slidable within the guide-way 5, and held against rotationtherein by means of the upper and lower guide pieces 10 and 11 carriedrespectively by said parts moving within suitable ways formed in theinterior wall of the guideway 5. The plurality of concentric plungers ofthe calipering members are held together respectively by means of thetransverse rods 13 and 18 extended therethrough, although the inner twoof the concentric plungers of each calipering member are independentlymovable for a limited distance, due to the diameter of the bore throughwhich the said rods extend being somewhat greater than that of the boresthrough the outer plunger of each of the said members, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and8 of the drawings.

To the outer side walls of the casing 1 are fulcrumed the upper andlower crank levers 1d and 14, the upper ones of which are connected attheir inner ends by the tie rod 15, while the lower ones are connectedto a cross supporting plate 15, which supports intermediate the saidspaced levers 14 a vertical cylinder 16. Within this cylinder, which isfilled with glycerin or other fluid, works a plunger 16, the stem 17 ofwhich extends through the cylinder head 17 and is connected to the crossrod 15. The outer downwardly extended ends of the crank levers 14: areslotted and held to the outer calipering member by means of the rod 13,while the outer upwardly extended slotted ends of the crank levers 1 1are held to the inner calipering member by means of the transverse rod13.

The side walls of the guide-way section 5 are cut away longitudinallyand within such cut away portions Work the outwardly swinging stop armsor pawls 18 and 18, which are hinged respectively to the sup ports 19carried by the outer calipering member, and the fixed supports 19located adjacent the rear end portion of the cylindrical e tension ofthe inner calipering member. The stop arms or pawls 18 are acted on bythe pressure actuated devices of the outer caliperin member, while thestop arms or pawls 18 are acted on by the con roac es respondingpressure actuated devices of the inner calipering member on the inwardmovement of the said members with an acceptable coin or token grippedbetween the faces thereof. The stop arms or pawls 18 and 18 are heldnormally inwardly pressed by means of the springs 20 and 20 secured .tothe side walls of the casing or housing 1,

Fig. 1 of the drawings. The opposing pairs of hinged stop arms or pawlsare so positioned relative to each other that their free ends bearagainst each other or about on the thumb piece 9 being forced inwardly agiven distance, in case of a spurious or non-acceptable coin or tokenplaced within the machine being received between the opposing faces ofthe calipering member and thus limits the inward movement of the saidmembers, for the same cannot be forced inwardly their full distanceuntil two of the said arms or pawls have been forced or swung outwardlyto clear the ends of the opposing stop arms, Fig. 5 of the drawings. Theprojecting ends of the rods 13 and 13 work respectively within theslotted port-ion 21 of the said stop arms 18 and 18, so that thecalipering members are free to reciprocate longitudinally withoutinterference with the hinged stop arms. 7

Within the cylindrical extension of the plunger 6 of the outercalipering member two outwardly swinging levers 22 and 22 are hinged,the inclined faces of which work through slotted openings 28 in the wallof said cylindrical extension, while within the cylindrical extension lof the plunger 6 a similar pair of outwardly swinging levers 24: and 24are hinged, the inclined faces of which levers project a slight distancebeyond the sphere of the said cylindrical extension, Figs. 3, 4c, and 5of the drawings. The inner end of the levers 22 and 24 are forked topartly straddle the central plungers 8 and 8 respectively, Figs. 2 and 7of the drawings, as the said plungers'are forced within the cylindricalextensions 9 and 10, the said levers being acted on respectively by theplungers 7 and 7, while the levers 22 and 24- are operated respectivelyby the inward movement of the central plungers 8 and 8'. The mentionedlevers operate through the medium of the adjustable plugs or pins 25 and25 and 26 and 26 to swing outwardly the hinged stop arms or pawls 18 and18 respectively, in accordance with the movement of the plungers of thecalipering members.

The crank levers 1d and 1 are held together at their inner ends by thetension of the connecting springs 27, Figs. 1 and,2 of the drawings.

"W hen the parts stand in normal position, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, the space 26 between the adjacent faces of the concentrioplungers of the calipering members is sufficient to permit of a coin ortoken of proper denomination and diameter to be .forced inwardly theirfull distance within the cylindrical extension of the outer plunger ofthe series of concentric plungers in order to swing the pair of hingedlevers of such member to force outwardly the pair of stop arms or pawlsassociated therewith,

-so as to clear the path of the opposing stop arms or pawls to permit ofthe calipering members moving inwardly their full distance to positionan acceptable coin or token over the innermost discharge slot 4 for thedeposit of the same for retention with the machine on a separation ofthe calipering members. For this purpose, the size, position, andmovement of each of the concentric plungers of each calipering member isso constructed and disposed relative to each other as to conform to thevalleys or depressions and the upraises appearing on the faces of thecoin or token of the required denomination for use within the machine,so that the concentric plungers will register and coact with opposingsurfaces or faces of only such coins or tokens for which the caliperingmembers are designed to co' operate, a refusal of action taking placewhen any other coin or token is employed or where a coin or token-of therequired denomination is so worn as to prevent the proper working of theconcentric plungers of the opposing calipering members.

In operation, assuming a- -slug 27 to have been deposited within thereceiving slot 2 and delivered by the coin runway between'the opposingfaces of the calipering members. The depositor thereof in accordancewith instructions then pushes inwardly the cylindrical thumb pieceextension 9 carrying therewith the outer calipering member until theslug or spurious coin or token is clamped between the opposing faces ofthe said members. Inasmuch as there is no proper registry between thefaces of the deposited slug or spurious coin and the edges of theconcentric plungers of the calipering members, the applied pressure onthe cylindrical thumb piece extension 9 simply results in only carryinginwardly the outer calipering member. and the token therewith until theshouldered portion a of the free ends of the stop arms or pawls 18 bearagainst thefree ends of the stop arms or pawls 18 of the opposingcalipering member, Fig. 4 of the drawings, by which time the said innercalipering member will have been carried inwardly a slight distance,sufficient to uncover the discharge opening 3 and positioning the slug27 thereover. During this movement of the calipering members the cranklevers 14 and 14 will have been thrown inwardly, separating the innerarms thereof and raising the plunger 16 within the dash pot cylinder 16.By the time this position of the calipering members is reached and theslug positioned over the discharge slot 3, a dog 28 carried by a springarm 28 and extended through an opening in the guide-way 5 moves intolocked engagement with a notch 29 cut in the cylindrical extension 10 ofthe inner calipering member and holds the said member temporarily insuch adjusted position. As the operator releases the pressure on thethumb piece 9, the tension of the springs 27 come into action and drawtogether the inner arms of the crank levers 14 and 14, the movement ofwhich is retarded by the action of the plunger 16' within the dash potcylinder 16, the outer arms of the levers 14 first acting to moveoutwardly and separate the outer caliporing member from the innercalipering member to release the deposited rejected slug or spuriouscoin or token and permitting the same to discharge through the opening 3of the outside of the machine, and then through the medium of afulcrumed lever 30, connected to the crank levers 14 by an adjustablelink 30, acting against the free end of the springarm 28 and lifting theouter end thereof toiraise the dog 28 and releasethe same fro-mengagement with the 'notch 29, when the movement of the outer arms ofthe crank levers 14 act to force the said released calipering member tonormal position, the retardation of the inner calipering member beingsufficient to permit of the release of the clamped token. In case of acoin or token 31 of the required denomination and thickness beinginserted within the machine and delivered into the space 26 between theopposing faces of the calipering members and pressure app-lied by theoperator to the cylindrical thumb piece extension 9, the resultwill bethat as the coin is clamped between the faces of the opposing caliperingmembers the contact surfaces of the concentric plungers of therespective calipering members will registerv with the valleys ordepressions and the upraises on the respective faces of the depositedcoin, the upraised surfaces acting on the coin being clamped to forceinwardly the inner concentric plunge-rs, depending upon the positioningof the coin, say, 7 and 8 of the outer calipering member their fulldistance, which results in the levers 22 and 22 acted on respectively bysaid plungers being swung outwardly their full distance, causing theinclined surfaces thereof to act against the pins 25 and 25 to swingoutwardly the stop arm 18 to clear the ends of the hinged stop arms 18'for the opposing inner calipering member, Fig. 5 of the drawings;consequently, with a continuance of the applied pressure the caliperingmembers with the clamped coin are moved inwardly their full distance,placing the coin 31 immediately over the discharge opening 4, when thedog 28 carried by the spring arm 28 moves into locked engagement withthe notch 32 in the cylindrical extension 10 of the inner caliperingmember, the action of the crank levers 14 and 14 being the same as thatpreviously described in connection with the deposited slug or spuriouscoin or token. On a release of the applied pressure the outer caliperingmember is first moved outwardly to release the clamped coin 31 andpermit of its escape through the slot or opening l to the interior ofthe coin box or casing. The spring arm 28 is then raised by thepreviously described action of the fulcrumed lever 30, and the partsrestored to normal position, the hinged stop arms 18 being restored toposition by the applied pressure of the springs 20. ln case the upraisedsurface of the deposited coin is presented to the face of the innercalipering member, then the,

concentric plungers 7 and 8 are forced inwardly for actuating the levers24 and 24: to swing outwardly the stop arms 18 to clear the stop arms 18of the outer calipering member, the device thus operating on anacceptable coin or token irrespective as to the positioning thereofwithin the coin receiving opening 2.

By the use of the present invention the electrical means illustrated,described and employed in connection with the device disclosed by UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 964,848 of July 19, 1910 are dispensed with,and the coin selector made purely mechanical as to its working part-s,providing a more durable device than where electrical means are employedfor controlling the acceptance and rejection of the deposited coins ortokens: in fact, the working parts of the selector are materiallysimplified over that disclosed in said United States Letters Patent, anda more perfect and positive device produced,.one not liable to get outof order by reason of the rough usage to which de vices of thischaracter are subjected, as there are no wires or sensitive electricalconnections to be taken care of.

It is obvious that changes or variations may be made in the constructionof the associated cooperating parts without departing from the spirit ofthe described invenroaaeae tion, the workings of which are controlled byan externally applied pressure causing the calipering members to throwinto actuation the mechanically operated releasing means and to hold thesame locked against movement in accordance as to whether the depositedcoin or token is of such a character as to place the movable elements ofthe calipering members in register-with the face surfaces thereof tosuch an extent as to cause an inward movement thereof on an appliedpressure to place the stop means of one calipering member free of thestop means of the opposing calipering member.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be pro tected by Letters Patent is 1. In a coin selector, thecombination with reciprocating opposing calipering members, of devicesassociated therewith for holding the same locked against movement, andpressure actuated means carried by the calipering members forcontrolling the release of the locking devices in accordance as towhether the coin or token deposited be tween said members is anacceptable or n0nacceptable one, whereby coins or tokens of a givencharacter gripped thereby may be accepted and coins or tokens of anothercharacter will be rejected.

2. A coin selector, the same comprising reciprocating opposingcalipering members each consisting of a plurality of independentlymovable plungers, means for actuating said. plungers under givenconditions and pressure controlled devices actuated by said plungerswhereby a coin or token of a given character gripped by the caliperingmembers may be accepted and a coin or token of a difierent characterwill be rejected.

3. A coin selector, the same comprising a pair of reciprocating opposingcalipering members, each consisting of a plurality of independentlymovable devices, means for positioning a token between the caliperingmembers, and pressure actuated mechanism for controlling the movement ofthe calipering members whereby a coin or token of a given value, anddimension gripped between the said members will be accepted and a coinor token of a different character will be rejected.

4. A coin selector, the same comprising reciprocating opposing grippingmeans by which a coin may be gripped therebetween, pressure actuateddevices carried thereby and thrown into action on a coin or token of agiven character being grip ed between the said means, stop devices orcontrolling the movement thereof in one direction, connections betweenthe stop devices and the pressure actuated devices for moving the stopdeviws on the pressure devices being actuated by engagement with thesurfaces of an acceptable coin or token clamped by the gripping means,and mechanism for restoring the gripping means to normal position.

5. In a coin selector, the combination with a pair of opposing slidablymounted gripping members, means by which the said members may move inunison for a limited distance, and pressure controlled devices actuatedby an acceptable coin or token gripped between the said members bymeansgripping means.

7. A coin selector provided with opposed reciprocating gripping means,the faces of each being composed of a plurality of independently movablemembers. thrown lIltO action on an acceptable coin or tok-en beingdelivered to and clamped between the gripping means.

8. A coin selector comprising opposing longitudinally movable spacedgripping members, lock devices for controlling the movement of saidmembers, and pressure means actedon by the gripplng members forreleasing the lock devices in accordance as to whether a coin or tokendelivered between and clamped by the gripping members is of anacceptable or non-acceptable denomination and size.

9 In a coin selector for the described purpose, the combination with apair of opposing spaced movable gripping members between which a tokenis deposited, each comprising a plurality of movable elementsregisterable with the contour or faces of an acceptable coin depositedbetween the said members, means for delivering a coin or token betweenthe gripping members, pressure actuated devices acted on by the movableelements of the gripping members for controllingthe movement thereof toposition the deposited coin or token for either an acceptance or arejection thereof, and means for actuating the-calipering members.

10. In a coin selector, the combination of a suitable casingprovidedwith a coin inlet" and a plurality of outlets, a pair ofopposing calipering members slidable in the casing and normally spacedfor receiving a coin-therebetween, lock devices for controlling theinward'movement of the calipering members, and pressure actuated devicescarried by the gripping members for actuating the lock devices to freesaid members in accordance as to Whether an acceptable or nonacceptablecoin or token is gripped thereby.

11. In a coin selector, the combination with a suitable casing providedwith an inlet opening and a plurality of outlet openings, a pair ofopposing calipering members slidable therein, said members beingnormally separated to receive a coin therebetween, lock meanspermit-ting said members tomove in unison for a given distance, andpressure actuated devices thrown in operation on the movement of saidmembers with an acceptable coin gripped thereby for releasing the lockmeans to vary the distance which said members may move inunison.

12. In a coin selector for the described purpose, opposing coin grippingmembers normally spaced to receive a coin therebetween, a slide-way inwhich said members are slidable, lock devices for limiting the movementof the gripping members in unison on a non-acceptable coin or tokenbeing gripped thereby, and pressure operated devices controlled by thecontour of the gripped coin for actuating the lock devices to releasethe gripping member 'for permitting a greater movement in unison on anacceptable coin or token being gripped thereby.

13. In a coin selector, the combination with a pair of opposing slidablegripping members comprising each a plurality of independently movableconcentric plungers, lock devices for controlling the inward movement inunison of the gripping members, and levers thrown into action by themovement of certain of the concentric plungers for releasing the lockdevices to permit of a greater movement in unison of the grippingmembers on an acceptable coin or token being grasped the-rebetween.

14:. In a coin selector, the combination with a suit-able casingprovided with an inlet opening and a plurality of outlet openings, of aguide or slide-way therein, a pair of opposing normally spaced grippingmembers slidable therein each comprising independent movable concentricplungers, lock devices controlling the inward movement of the grippingmembers in unison, levers carried by and pivotally connected with saidgripping members, said levers having one end adjacent to the movableplungers, to receive the contact thereof when said plungers are moved bythe gripping of an acceptable coin or token, whereby said leversare'turned on their pivotal connections, the other ends of the leversbeing disposed to contact with the locking devices to release them topermit of a .greater movement-in unison of the gripping members on anacceptable coin or token being gripped between the same, and spring heldfluid controlled crank levers for restoring the gripping members tonormal position on the release of the gripped coin or token.

15. in a coin selector, the combination with a suitable casing providedwith an inlet opening and a plurality of outletopenings, of a guide orslide-way therein, in-

wardly and outwardly opposing normally spaced gripping members eachcomprising a plurality of independently movable plungers slidable withinsaid way, lock devices normally limiting the movement in unison of thegripping members, levers carried by and movement in unison of the saidgripping members on an acceptable coin or token belng grlpped betweenthe same, devlces for noeoese locking the inner gripping member whenmoved inwardly, and means for restoring the gripping members to normalposition.

16. ltn a coin selector, the combination with a pair of opposingnormally spaced slidable gripping members, lock devices carried therebyfor limiting their movement in unison on a non-acceptable coin or tokenbeing gripped thereby, movable pressure actuated devices carried by eachgripping memher and acted on by an acceptable gripped coin to releasethe lock devices and permit of a greater movement in unison of thegripping members, and means for operating the said members to releasethe gripped coin or token and restore the same to normal position.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HERBERT A. BULLARD.

Witnesses:

N. A. Aonnn,

D. B. RICHARDS.

